Don’t pay too much for prestige, advises Rick Hess. College rankings have been inflated: More colleges are rated “selective” because they’re rejecting more applicants and admitting students with higher high school grades. But that’s the result of technology — it’s easier to do multiple applications — and grade inflation, not improved quality.

Comments

My humble opinion… there are at most 50 private schools in the entire country worth paying high tuition (not because the quality of education is better, but because of apparent “prestige” and networking). Other than that, a student should go to the best public college or university in his/her state.

I have friends who went into $100,000 debt for a private school with a reputation no better than the mid-tier regional public university in the same area. It made absolutely no sense to me. The ironic thing is, my friend studied economics…